Niger Launches Schistosomiasis Control Programme

On 6 October, the Minister of Health of Niger launched the Schistosomiasis Control Programme of the Government of Niger.

On 6 October, the Minister of Health of Niger, Monsieur Mamadou Sourghia, launched the Schistosomiasis Control Programme of the Government of Niger. This ceremony was held at Kollo, a town about 50 kilometers south of Niamey, close to the banks of the Niger River. His audience included hundreds of citizens of Kollo, who are all too familiar with schistosomiasis, and representatives of all levels of government, as well as of WHO, the Institut Pasteur (CERMES), World Food Programme (WFP) and various foreign missions involved in health service delivery in Niger. The Governor of Tillaberri Province, where Kollo is located also gave a speech in which he encouraged the citizens of his region to take advantage of this programme and the medicine which it will make available every year from now on.

Image: Minister of Health, Mr Mamadou Sourghia, launches the national control programme

Monsieur Sourghia explained that schistosomiasis is second only to Malaria in terms of morbidity and social importance in Niger, causing around 3 million people to be seriously infected. He committed the government to a permanent programme of control; and urged all those who would be contacted over the coming years by staff of his ministry to respond positively and take advantage of the availability of praziquantel and albendazole tablets which will be freely available from next month.

The ministry aims to treat 1 million people by the end of 2004, and twice as many during the course of 2005. They expect to have delivered treatment to at least 3 million people by some time in 2006, each person treated being scheduled for a second treatment a year afterwards.

The programme is being monitored by the staff of CERMES (Centre de Recherches Medicales et Scientifiques), which receives support from the Government of France. Both praziquantel and albendazole are being provided by SCI, along with equipment to support their distribution and to enable surveillance and monitoring activities on an appropriate scale.

Image: The Governor of Tillaberi province treats a child at the launch of the Niger national programme